I Bought the Delux Vertical Mouse So You Don't Have To

Why I Even Bother With Vertical Mice

I've been doing this for 12 years. Twelve. My right hand has clicked more buttons than a casino dealer. Last year, my wrist started screaming at me around 3 PM every day. Not a dull ache — a sharp, "stop what you're doing" kind of pain.

A buddy of mine, Dave from accounting, told me to try a vertical mouse. He swore by his $120 Logitech MX Vertical. I wasn't about to drop that kind of cash on a maybe-fix. So I grabbed the Delux vertical mouse off Amazon for $29.99. Model number: M618XSD. Ordered it on a Tuesday, got it Thursday.

First Impressions: It's Weird. Stick With It.

The second I pulled it out of the box, I laughed. It looks like a fat, pregnant mouse that ate a jellybean. The grip angle is about 60 degrees — your hand sits like you're shaking hands with the mouse. It's not subtle. You will look silly using this in a coffee shop.

But I don't care about looking cool. I care about my wrist not feeling like someone's twisting a screwdriver into it. This Delux vertical mouse review is for people who are tired of ice packs and ibuprofen.

The build is mostly plastic. Feels a bit cheap, but not flimsy. The buttons have a satisfying click — not that mushy, wet-noodle feel you get on some $15 mice. Scroll wheel is metal, notched, and smooth. It's got a USB-C charging port, which is nice. No more hunting for AA batteries.

The Real Test: Five Days of Hellish Spreadsheets

Day one was rough. My hand kept trying to go back to the flat position. I had to consciously force my grip. By day three, I stopped thinking about it. My wrist pain didn't vanish overnight, but by Friday, the 3 PM scream was more of a whisper. After two weeks, I forgot I was using a vertical mouse.

Here's the thing: the Delux vertical mouse has a thumb rest and a groove for your ring finger. That sounds like a gimmick, but it actually keeps your hand from sliding down. The DPI goes up to 4000, which is overkill for most business work. I set mine to 1600 and left it.

It connects three ways: Bluetooth, 2.4 GHz dongle, or wired. I used the dongle. No lag. No dropouts. The battery lasts about two weeks on a full charge — I charge it overnight once every two weeks.

What Sucks (Because Nothing Is Perfect)

The side buttons are positioned a little too high. I have average-sized hands (medium glove size), and I have to stretch my thumb to hit the forward button. It's annoying. Not a dealbreaker, but annoying.

The software is garbage. I'm not kidding. The Delux driver app looks like it was coded by a sleep-deprived intern in 2012. I installed it, tried to remap one button, the app crashed, and I uninstalled it. The default button layout is fine for me anyway. If you need to remap everything, this isn't your mouse.

Also, the left-click button is slightly louder than the right-click. It's not a huge difference, but I notice it. In a quiet office, people might hear you clicking. Dave from accounting gave me crap about it.

Who Should Buy This Delux Vertical Mouse?

If you're a data entry zombie, a spreadsheet warrior, or a writer who types all day and has a twinge in your wrist — buy it. It's $30. That's less than a dinner for two. If it saves you from one cortisone shot, it's paid for itself.

If you're a gamer who needs 15 programmable buttons and 26,000 DPI, skip this. This is for getting work done, not fragging noobs.

I've recommended this to three people at my office. Two bought it. One hated it because his hand is the size of a catcher's mitt. The other one loves it. Your mileage will vary depending on hand size. If you have small or medium hands, you'll probably be fine. Big hands? Look at the Logitech MX Vertical or the Anker version.

One Last Thing Before You Click Buy

The Delux vertical mouse won't fix your posture. It won't make you drink more water or stand up every hour. But it will put your wrist in a neutral position so you're not twisting your forearm bones like a wet towel. I've been using mine for three months now. My 3 PM pain is gone. I still hate spreadsheets, but at least my wrist doesn't hate me back.

If you're on the fence, just buy it from Amazon — they have a 30-day return policy. Try it for two weeks. If it doesn't work, send it back. You lose nothing but the time it takes to open the box.

I'm not saying this is the best mouse I've ever used. But for $29.99, it's the best deal on a vertical mouse right now. And that's coming from a guy who's clicked through a decade of crappy peripherals.